The snow began to fall again. ∑Except for the occasional cold wind that dances with snowflakes, the large plains near Bianliang City are full of quiet and deadly atmosphere.
After battles, bloodshed again and again, millions of people who originally lived in this land have migrated, and the vacant and abandoned villages and towns have a strange and deadly atmosphere in the evening when the snow falls, and the birds have long been Fly away, among the mountains and forests, a few animals are running in the snow, the squirrel is holding its hazelnuts, standing on the edge of the woods, looking at the area that once belonged to humans. In the past few months, the people who fell on this land have long been cold.
Wolves appear occasionally.
Only on a few occasions did the lone horse team run through the snow, going from place to place, with their mission.
In less than half a year, this place has become a forbidden area for strangers.
Moutuogang is ten miles away from Bianliang City, and the road from this area to Bianliang City is also dominated by the breath of people. Early in the morning, a loud bang sounded on the ice near Mutuogang.
A team of Jurchen Lux, holding iron balls or sledgehammers bound by chains, smashed them on the ice near the camp, and white ice mist splashed out.
This area, where the Jurchen camped, was originally the place where the horses of the Wu Dynasty were herded. Moutuogang is surrounded by water on three sides, and the grassland is lush. After blocking the opening, it is easy to defend and difficult to attack. It was only after winter really came that the surrounding lake began to freeze. Especially in snowy days, the ice became thicker. It was originally three directions of the lake, but at this time, the ice and the land were completely connected.
After Yao Pingzhong's night attack plan failed, not many people dared to attack the Jurchen camp. However, after the freezing of the ice, the Jurchen soldiers in Mutuogang smashed the edge of the ice layer and sent people more every day. patrol tasks. Every morning. After the Lux smashed the edge of the lake, the patrolling soldiers went back and forth in teams of three.
The snow was so heavy that people couldn't tell whether it was morning or noon. All they knew was that it had been dawn for a long time, and the patrolling soldiers came and went, occasionally looking at the flat, stretched ice and snow lake in front of the field of vision. Everything seemed monotonous, except for the occasional hustle of the barracks over the towering wooden walls. As the patrol passed by, a Jurchen soldier stopped and turned to look at the lake.
Snow fell.
He took a few glances, and for a moment, caught up with the two companions in front.
We pushed our field of vision over, and on the ice surface hundreds of meters away from here, there were white things, which were two figures lying on the ice and in the snow. Wearing white clothes that are extremely difficult to recognize in the snow. One of them put down the barrel in his hand, and even silently blocked the front end of the barrel with one hand.
After the three people in the distance left, the rough long cylindrical telescope was raised again here. The man next to him took out a small book and charcoal, and wrote numbers on it with shaking hands.
"Another one hundred and twenty-five breaths... Three people patrolling past... When sharing..."
There is no accurate timing tool, only a rough estimate of the time, in such a snowy day, long-term lurking. It is also a huge burden for the two of them, they lie here quietly watching and recording. Only occasionally move the body slightly, when hungry, pull out the simmering jerky from the clothes, chew slowly, but try not to move.
Sometimes, Costin goes through heavy snow. Flying into the sky, that is the most difficult time for them.
At dusk, someone came quietly to replace them.
The two quietly retreated from the lake, carefully covering up their traces. Entering the grove at the end of Mutuogang, and then walking silently. The temporary residence and the connection point was a cave in the mountain. Someone came to pick up what they had written down, and they talked a little bit and sent some supplies. Before leaving, he told as usual: "If it is not necessary, don't make a fire."
The fried rice, meat sticks, etc. brought by the other party were already cold. But he took out a small iron pot with three layers inside and three layers outside. The broth in it was still warm. He shared it with the two of them and drank it quickly, and then he told him again.
When you come out to perform this kind of task, the clothes on your body are still enough to keep you warm. One of them is a young man in his teens, his name is Chen Hai, and the other is a middle-aged man in his forties, whose surname is Zheng, and Chen Hai calls him Uncle Zheng.
"Uncle Zheng, you said that we can write these down every day, can it come in handy?"
"Go to bed earlier." Uncle Zheng said very few words, and his voice was not high, "How do I know."
"The Jurchen is too cruel..."
After Chen Hai said this, he stopped talking.
The investigation team was formed by Ning Yi, who were selected during the process of fortifying the wall and clearing the field and after the army of the Wu Dynasty was dispersed. Some are the talent pool before Zhuji, there are also hunters, or people with extraordinary talents who are proficient in wild survival skills. Chen Hai was in good health since he was a child, escaped the lively, rumors that he could walk in the snow in the winter with his bare bottom, when the Jurchen came, his village could not escape the first wave of massacres, his parents died in Under the butcher's knife, he survived by chance, and later, Ning Yi absorbed him.
The next morning, they woke up, ate something cold and hard, and went to work. The snow is falling, sometimes big and sometimes small, and they will change places a little after they go back and receive new orders. They also vaguely knew that they were not the only group responsible for the investigation of the Jurchen camp.
The person who came to contact them should be an official—or at least an official. The broth that he brings in his arms every day can make Chen Hai feel warm, because he vaguely knows that there may be no other officials who can do such a thing.
He had known Uncle Zheng for a short time. Although Uncle Zheng was relatively taciturn, he used to be a powerful hunter. He would occasionally give him a few words about hiding and hunting. For several days, he lurked in such a harsh environment, beside him. There is only one companion, and unconsciously, he will also regard the other as the only friend in the world, or as a relative or an elder.
That day was November twenty.
At noon that day, they quietly switched positions while observing. It has snowed for so long, and the ice on the lake is actually quite firm. Chen Hai occasionally reaches out and knocks on it, but nothing will happen. This day probably encountered a relatively thin place.
They had been lying there all morning. When the soldiers patrolling the lake bank passed by, Uncle Zheng was observing with a binoculars, and a small voice sounded from under him.
The two settled there and slowly looked over. Uncle Zheng stretched out his hand to sweep the snow, and fine lines extended from under him.
Both of them knew that they couldn't mess around at this time. Zheng Shuben was silent. At this time, he waved slightly to signal Chen Hai to move to the side, and he moved to the other side.
The ice has collapsed.
Uncle Zheng fell into the water and came up again. He fluttered slightly. In the distance, the patroller was still walking over. Chen Hai, who didn't fall, carefully stretched out his hand. Uncle Zheng took his hand, and when he exerted force, fine lines began to appear under Chen Hai's body. The other party realized something and let go of his hand. He subconsciously turned his head to look in the direction of the Jurchen army camp and fell into the water. He shouldn't be able to see anyone, but he's stopped flapping and making noises.
In the wind and snow, there was a faint voice of Jurchen speaking, and they were also looking towards this side, but because the distance was too far and the wind and snow blocked them, they could not see that an ice hole had appeared here.
Although he is more than forty years old, but in the definition of Wu Dynasty. Uncle Zheng is actually an old man. Chen Hai lay on the side, desperately reaching out.
"Give me your hand. Come on..." he whispered through gritted teeth.
The old man in the lake shivered and took off the telescope on his neck. He stretched out his hand and placed the telescope lightly on the ice. Then he undid the small package behind him—Uncle Zheng carried it with him, it seemed to be all his belongings—he wanted to hand it over. But halfway through the delivery, the package fell into the water.
"..." Chen Hai opened his mouth wide and tried his best to open his mouth. He was already crying, and the tears blurred his vision. However he couldn't make any sound. Two months ago, when Jurchen came to their village, he killed his father and his mother hid him in a firewood stack. He heard many movements and sounds, and the last thing he heard was a short cry from his mother. screams. After surviving, he went out from the firewood stack. His mother died outside the firewood room door. Half of his body was covered in black mud, with no clothes on his body. The half body was wrapped in red blood and black mud. That's how he cried in the firewood.
He vaguely knew what was going on outside, but he didn't dare to go out. His mother didn't cry or cry for help from beginning to end, only when she was finally killed, she couldn't help but let out that scream. He sat beside his mother's corpse and cried with his mouth open so that his fists could be put into his mouth, but no sound came out.
Some people can't cry when they are sad to the extreme.
In the blurred vision, the old man's outstretched hand did not retract. He used the last of his strength to show him a thumbs up, and shook it slightly in the air.
The sound of building equipment in the Jurchen barracks came out, and several patrolling soldiers left.
The old man had already sunk, and when his body surfaced again, Chen Hai knew that by then, the cold weather had sealed the opening, and this winter, the old man would never see the world...
That night, the official who brought him the broth took him back to the Xiacun valley. The valley was bustling and everyone was doing their thing. He was placed in a small room and someone brought him here. He got food, but he couldn't eat it. Not long after, someone came over and asked him about the details of Uncle Zheng's death again. He repeated it mechanically, and the other party said, "Someone will come over later. Please tell Brother Chen again, they will write it down."
"Write down... what..." Chen Hai asked mechanically.
"Write it down... Uncle Zheng, and tell others about it later."
"Why... tell it to others?"
"Because..." The other party pondered for a while, and suddenly someone knocked on the door outside, as if to report what had happened. The man listened to the report, nodded, and came back, "In order... so that others can remember him..."
"He's already dead..." Chen Hai shook his head.
"Well, Brother Chen, I know you are very sad, and we are also very sad, but I still have things to do on my side. The person who comes will explain it to you."
"What's wrong with you, you don't know him, you don't even know him!" Chen Hai choked out and shouted.
The other party's eyes seemed to be a little embarrassed, but he finally left. After a while, someone else came in. Chen Hai wanted to lose his temper, but he saw the man named Ning Yi coming behind him. Chen Hai knew that he was a high-ranking official.
The man who came in from the front had prepared a pen, ink, paper and inkstone. The high official named Ning Yi and his entourage were blocked by his wave. The official looked at him for a while before sitting down beside him.
"I heard someone say, Uncle Zheng's business, I'll come and see you."
Chen Hai shook his head and said nothing.
The other party said: "He will ask you. We will write down more detailed things so that people can remember him." This cliché made Chen Hai feel angry too, he gritted his teeth and stared at the other party: "Uncle Zheng, he , who is it? Where is he from? He gave me that burden when he was dying. He definitely, definitely asked me to pass it on, and who am I to pass it on now!"
"That's for you." The other party said, "Zheng Yiquan is just like you, his family is dead, his wife died five years ago, his son, daughter-in-law, and two grandsons, when Jurchen came. …”
The other party shook his head and breathed a long sigh of relief: "... Phew. So, no matter what's in the bag. It should be for you."
Chen Hai was stunned for a while, tears fell, and more anger came up: "It's because of this, because of this, you... you chose us, it's because of this that you chose us to die, right? You? Do you know how my family died? How did my father die, how did my mother die... "
"I know." Before Chen Hai finished crying, the other party interrupted him. "That's why you were chosen... not all of them, of course. But a lot of them are."
Chen Hai was so angry that his teeth were shaking: "You people, hide behind, you people..."
"I sent you to the most dangerous place, but I didn't 'hide' behind." Ning Yi emphasized, he unbuttoned his clothes, and then revealed the scars on his chest and arms. Then he walked to the person who was going to write something, and pressed his head to the side, "They didn't hide behind!" There was also a shocking scar on the side of the person's neck.
"There are indeed people hiding, but the people in this place today are not 'behind'." Ning Yi looked at him and said, "I know the things around you, and I have seen many people die. When you go to that kind of place, it is because you have hatred in your heart that you can do those things. Even if you die, you will think about not letting go of those guys. I chose you because of this, but there is no way, only Only in this way can we do things. I just sent a random person over, they were not cautious enough, they were caught by the Jurchen, and they were not firm enough, and our affairs were exposed little by little. In the end, everyone died, and the Jurchen broke through Bian. Liang, if I kill more people, I will be fair to you?"
"But... he's dead..."
"The continuation of civilization does not depend on blood." Ning Yi whispered something he didn't quite understand, "The Jurchen came, many people died, and many people lost their entire clan. Zheng Yiquan's bloodline did not remain, But when you were about to die, you were by your side, and you passed it on. The Jurchen killed so many people along the way, and some people's affairs were left behind, so that later people would know that there was a group of such people who lived and died. After death, civilization will be passed on. People cannot be resurrected from the dead. If there is really no way, if they die, try to pass on the story as much as possible."
He looked at Chen Hai, but Chen Hai didn't speak anymore. After a long while, he raised his head, took a breath, and sat down on the stool behind him, but opened his mouth and cried silently and bitterly. Ning Yi closed his eyes and stood for a moment, then walked over and knocked on the small table as he passed by the recorder: "I've already said it, so don't ask too much... It's hard enough..."
That night, Chen Hai saw the old man's thumb up in a dream. He woke up from the dream and couldn't sleep with his eyes open on the long-awaited warm bed. Thinking of the figures he saw in Moutuogang, he knew that countless people would die, and everything was just the beginning.
Opening the window, the snow stopped temporarily. He thought of the old man, his parents, and the people in the village. In the past few months, the people who died in this field. The old man was quietly at the bottom of the lake. They all seemed to be standing quietly somewhere, the heavy snow was pushing towards the surrounding world with the valley as the center, and their figures seemed to be pushing around, there were too many of them...
The moonlight in the night sky is like water. The moonlight is like water, shining on countless clothes.
He found that he couldn't sleep well in that bed anymore, and he went back to Moutuogang the next day. Before he got to the lake, the Jurchen camp was already full of murderous aura...
****************
The time was noon, and at the new Suanzaomen Gate, when the old man walked up to the city wall, he was surrounded by running defenders.
People with buckets are rushing up the city wall in batches, pouring water on the outer wall and then going down, and so on. The soldiers have already erected their shields and prepared defense items such as yaksha beats, rolling wood and stone. Countless defenders are preparing to stretch out on the city wall.
Above the city, the wind was blowing and it was very cold, but at this time, the cold was no longer something to worry about. Qin Siyuan walked to the center of the tower not far away, and the same two old men had already arrived there, the leader was Li Gang, and the other was Zhong Shidao, a member of the Western Army. Can only hold on hard.
Looking outside, it was the camp where the Jurchens were stationed during the siege. During this time, some siege equipment was displayed there, but there were not many. However, at this time, the atmosphere on the film site has begun to change.
More siege equipment and troops have yet to arrive, but the scouts outside the city have already received the news that the Jurchen general attack is coming.
For this period of time, Jurchen has been working hard to make equipment. Everyone in the city knows it. Zhong Shidao once considered the strategy of taking the initiative to attack when he was sick. However, with Yao Pingzhong's incident, no one dared to take up such a plan, and the 30,000 kinds of families brought by Zhong Shidao's clan brother Zhong Shi. The army, not long ago, also suffered a defeat on the plain outside Bianliang City, and at this time was shrinking in the vicinity to rectify the defense.
When the Western Army just arrived. People have high expectations for the combat effectiveness of the Western Army. There is a feeling that the Western Army will be able to turn the tide as soon as it arrives. Yao Pingzhong's failure broke this expectation, and people could continue to look forward to Chong Shidao. However, under such expectations, when Chong Shizhong led the army, Chong Shidao could not blindly keep him still. As a result, the two sides launched a confrontation. After killing. The army of the family also returned in disappointment. Although the Zhong family army still retains the combat power of more than 20,000 people, at least the high-level people have fully understood that even the strongest Western army in the Wu Dynasty is the Jurchen who is roaming the world at this time. In front of the cavalry. It's also really invincible.
In fact, at the beginning, perhaps only Chong Shidao himself saw this clearly. After he arrived in the capital, he held down the Yao family's army and kept stopping the army's reckless attack. , can scare Wanyan Zongwang, make him retreat, or concentrate all his strength to fight against him. It's a pity that when he entered the city, his prestige was too great, and Zhou Zhe couldn't see it, so he finally put him under house arrest, and then agreed to Yao Pingzhong's plan. After the release of the master teacher, the army of 200,000 people had already collapsed, and this old man who was still awake despite being ill, was no longer able to return to heaven.
At this time, in the city of Bianliang, the civil and military of the Manchu Dynasty gathered, and there were still many people who really knew the military. However, in the Department of War, starting from the highest Tong Guan, seeing Jurchen's aura, he didn't dare to take up the responsibility of defending the city at all. He only said that he had retired from Taiyuan, and he could no longer convince the public because of his sin. This kind of vision proves that he is "knowledgeable". If he refuses to pick up, others will understand, and a few qualified people will not dare to pick up again.
The emperor's silent attitude in the recent period of time has made the two sides of the left and right have power, but in fact they may also be watched by everyone. In the end, the second phase only has the power to appoint at will among the middle-level officers, so that their tactical use of defending the city can only be done well, and they can't play too many dangerous things.
In short, just keep it up.
The wind blew over, and the three old men, all over sixty years old, stood in the snow, waiting for the arrival of Zongwang's army. Only Qin Siyuan, after a long period of solemnity, gradually laughed. That laughter was heroic and did not match his usual image. But Li Gang gradually laughed, and then Chong Shidao also laughed.
"There are three of you and I here today. Faced with this matter, it will be a big deal!" Li Gang said with a smile.
In the distance, the banner of Zongwang's army came.
****************
Summer Village Valley. The news has come.
In the room, Hongti and Juan'er were mending the inner lining of some clothes. In the open space outside the door, Qin Siyuan, Han Jing, Yue Fei, Qi Xinyong, Yuwen Feidu and many others gathered here, watching the boy named Xiao Hei put on those things.
When the armor made of iron and steel pieces was completely worn on his body, the young man's whole body almost turned into a walking iron armor.
This is not the first time the boy wears this. When he swept out with a punch, the snowflakes flying in the air whistled for it. Behind him, the warhorse in iron armor gave a soft cry, and behind him, more than a hundred iron armored heavy riders were all dressed.
"It's alright." Ning Yi whispered, not far away, Qin Shaoqian stroked the iron armor on the horse's body, shook his head and sighed.
Putting on the helmet and holding the knife, the young man banged and got on his horse.
Soon after, the valley started to move, and as evening approached, all the people gathered up and down the entire valley, piles of bonfires spread, and all the generals including Ning Yi and Qin Shaoqian appeared above the valley. On the high platform, Qin Shaoqian raised his glass to the people in the entire valley. Then, from left to right, it slowly fell down.
"Today's cup, sacrifice this world, gods and ghosts, dead people, and you and me who are here. Zongwang has officially sent troops to attack Bianliang today, everyone, the time is coming..."
The bonfire was raging, the valley was full of chills, and everyone was listening to him in silence.
Floating in the sky with snow and blizzard, for a while, it seems that I dare not approach this place...
****************
Taiyuan.
At night, Qin Shaohe, who was sick, woke up from his sleep, and in the dim room, his concubine fell asleep beside the bed. He opened his eyes for a long time, until he couldn't help coughing, and then woke the other party up.
"Master, are you awake, do you want to drink water?" The concubine asked, and then said, "The city defense is fine, don't worry."
"I had a dream. I had a dream about my father," he said weakly.
"Father-in-law is in Bianliang, it's better than here, don't worry."
"Well." Qin Shaohe nodded slightly, then he smiled and said:
"Zhanmei, I think, maybe I won't be able to see my father..."
****************
The sea of snow spreads, day and night come and go, and on November 22, morning comes.
This morning in Bianliang City was extraordinarily quiet. Except for the falling snow, everyone seemed to have not woken up. The carriage of Fanlou passed the quiet streets and alleys, and when it came to the vicinity of the city wall, the sky was just pale. The teacher got off the carriage. She often came here to help recently, but this time, the atmosphere in the military camp was a little different.
Before she could tell the change in the atmosphere, the sound of a horn came faintly and suddenly across the huge wall in the distance. Huge objects are passing through the sky. There was a muffled sound, and in the bright sky and drifting snow, it seemed that the wind suddenly passed by, Shi Shi's body shrank, she felt the earth moving, and someone shouted "ah" in the distance—
boom-
- boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom
The sound of the siege reached the highest level in an instant, and the terrifying sound drowned the city, shaking everything it touched...
The ghost gate is open... (Please search Gone Astronomy, better and faster!
ps: This chapter is 6,900 words - I'm wondering if I want to add another 100 words - it can be worth two chapters, um, have I finished all of June...
Then let's finish the year in the next month! Ha ha.